Weymouth Sailing Club has just hosted the Yacht Clubs of Weymouth, Why Boats Weymouth Yacht Regatta.
With over 50 boats competing out on the water, Weymouth’s Olympic waters even brought out the dolphins to watch.
Starting on the Friday evening the annual tender race across the harbour from the sailing clubs to the ferry steps witnessed rubber dinghies and their crews all bedecked in fancy dress.
Three exhausting races across the river tired the crews, with just as much effort being put into water pistol duels as there was rowing.
The YOB's leader, Steve Staple, and his crew of YOBs won two of the three races and was subsequently awarded the race trophy.
Other trophies and prizes were awarded for fancy dress.
Up on the decking over three hundred burgers were then sold in aid of the Weymouth lifeboat, cooked by House Commodore John Arnold ably assisted by club members.
Racing on the Saturday featured three races, back to back, managed by Vice Commodore Iain Jones on the clubs committee boat Viking III.
With six different classes out on the water, Jones and his team had their hands full, but coped admirably.
One of the classes was the Sea Cadets’ 6 new RS 21. These keelboats were donated to the Sea Cadets by Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, this has enabled the 15,000 sea cadets nationally to sample high performance sailing.
Weymouth was the first location that these boats were raced as a fleet in.
Another single fleet class, the K6 attracted 15 boats from around the country, racing in their National Championships within the Weymouth Regatta, most were used to reservoir sailing and so it was their first taste of salt water.
With the daily prize giving being held at Weymouth Sailing Club a busy evening was had at the club.
Sunday dawned bright and windless, but the race team held their nerve and there was enough wind by midday, so two races were completed before the prize giving at The Royal Dorset Yacht Club.
In a packed clubhouse, YCW race committee chair Kathy Claydon and RDYC Commodore Krissie Crook presented the daily prizes.
Prizes were awarded to all under 18s who crewed on the yachts. Then they awarded the trophies for all of the different classes.
Winner of class 1 was the son of Anne and Jim Chalmers, James Chalmers who, although Weymouth born, now races out of Warsash in the Solent.
Visiting yacht Mini Mayhem from Teignmouth won class three whilst Simon Ruddock in his £500 25 foot boat Betty walked off with the class four trophy.
Visiting Squibber David Vines from Plymouth won the Squibs class, in White Magic.
Submitted on 23rd September 2019